Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Wed 2.1.08, Afternoon
Natanaya translating.
14.40 Za'tara. 2-3 cars and no delay.
15,.00 Huwwara.
Commander I. in charge carries out his work in a pleasant way and no delays of cars or people.
3 turnstiles working and the checking is carried out by military police guarded by soldiers with rifles aimed at the passersby. At the side a "humanitarian" line. There is also a mysterious unit there, the dog trainers but we did not see them in action.
16.20 Beit Furik.
A visit by high ranking officials all standing and discussing the situation which did not stop the commander from running up to command us to stand beyond the white line. We obstinately stayed where we were. Pedestrians kept on passing but the line of cars lengthened until we could not see the tail end. We understood that no cars were allowed to pass during the visit.
When the visit ended we asked one of the captains why this was so but he was so sensitive that he had not even noticed this. Time is the cheapest item for the Palestinians.
A grandfather and child try to pass to visit a prisoner in Ashkelon. The boy was 15 years old and was documented on the ID of his mother which he had. He was not allowed to pass without her. Luckily there was a captain of rank of the DCO, S., who helped them to get through and also explained to the soldiers that sometimes they should simply use their common sense.
A truck which had already waited an hour was detained because the soldiers said that he had a load which had to be inspected by the laboratory section. S. did not think this was necessary but they said that he was not in charge and could not give orders (how can one cope with the bureaucracy of the occupation?)
Even when we got to Kfar Kassem and asked Nadim to check the truck had still not passed through.
While we stood there Nadim saw an acquaintance who was having trouble with his ID. H. whom we phoned said he would try to deal with this and the DCO respresentatives arrived and sent him on his way home.
We wish to state two facts.
The Nablus DCO is willing to help and to listen to our requests.
Nadim is a wonderful help with the Palestinians.